The present invention relates generally to transportable divot repair devices and, more particularly, to a device that is readily transportable by an individual to various locations having divots created in turf grass and that selectively dispenses a premixed fill mixture into the divots to assist in the repair of the divots.
Divots are formed as gouges in turf and, in many instances, will not be repaired by the natural growth of the turf. Instead, some intervention is necessary to assist the turf in repairing the destroyed area. One widely used solution is to fill the divot with a mixture of, typically, sand and seed to allow for new turf growth in the affected area. Alternatively, divots are filled with top dressing or sand. The fill mixture can vary depending on the requirements of turf, season and personal preference. Filling of divots is desirable on, for example, golf courses so that the turf will grow into the area of the divot. It is also desirable that the fill mixture be approximately level with the surrounding ground so that, in the typical golf course application, golf balls do not come to rest in the depression or roll off a mound of fill material.
At most golf courses, golf carts are equipped with a container filled with a seed and sand mixture, or a dressing, and it is recommended that the individual golfer spread the seed and sand mixture in the divot created by most golf swings. Such a method is not reliable. In most instances, golf courses are forced to fill the divots that remain unfilled by the individual golfers.
Typically, groundskeepers have manual laborers fill divots manually. Typically this is done in the morning before the golf course opens for play. With this manual method, laborers are dispatched around the golf course with buckets or other devices containing the fill mixture. The laborers walk from divot to divot and dispense the mixture into each divot with an implement such as a small cup or trowel. The laborer is typically forced to continually stand and bend over in order to ensure effective filling of the divot. The laborer also must carry the fill mixture, and return to refill his supply of fill mixture. Because of the time required in such a method, laborers cannot be dispatched to all areas where divots need to be repaired, but instead concentrate on certain areas, typically tee box areas. Areas in fairways are not typically maintained in as good condition. In any event, the manual method is time consuming and labor intensive.
Certain devices have been contemplated in solving this time consuming, and thereby expensive, process. The previous devices have not adequately addressed all of the variables of this problem. For example, it must be recognized by any solution that divots have a variety of depths and vary in size (width and length). The amount of fill mixture cannot therefore be predetermined for every divot. Each divot requires a differing amount of fill mixture that can only be determined upon visual inspection of the size and shape of the divot. Any dispenser must be movable to allow fill material to be spread throughout the area of the divot. Additionally, divot repair must be done so that the fill material is tamped down into the divot and leveled off with the surrounding area so as to keep the ground level.
The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,570 appears to dispense a fill mixture into a divot using a spring loaded rod that is pressed into the divot. The seed mixture is dispensed from a tubular housing but the spring loaded rod end may prevent the divot from becoming filled fully, and may cause additional damage to the turf from the pogo-stick action required to dispense the fill material. Australian Patent Application 13086/88 relates to a sand hopper that is designed for attachment to a golf cart. The sand hopper remains on the golf cart and, after the golf cart is driven to a position to place the hopper over the divot, the hopper is foot-operated to dispense a predetermined amount of fill mixture. The amount of fill mixture cannot be varied according to the depth of the divot, and the fill mixture cannot be spread over a greater or smaller area according to the size of the divot.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved divot repair device that is not affixed to a golf cart but readily transportable by an individual over a rather expansive area while still carrying a large supply of fill material. Preferably, the device will allow the operator to selectively dispense different amounts of fill mixture into divots as required and also be movable while dispensing the mixture so that the operator can fill the entire divot regardless of size. Further, the device preferably provides for a means to smooth the fill mixture once located in the divot without additional effort.
The present invention fulfills this need in the art by providing a divot repair tool for repairing divots on golf courses including a carriage for movement over the golf course ground from one divot to another by a user, and a hopper mounted on the carriage for holding a divot repair mixture, the hopper having an outlet near the ground arranged for selective, controlled dispensing of divot repair mixture from the hopper to fill a divot near the divot repair tool. The divot repair tool may be moved by a user from one divot to another, and divot repair mixture may be controllably dispensed from the hopper to a divot to be repaired. Then, the divot repair tool may be moved to another divot on the golf course for controlled dispensing of divot repair mixture to the other divot.
In one embodiment the divot repair device includes a hopper for carrying a predetermined mixture of fill material, the hopper adapted to be transported by an individual across an area from a first divot location to a second divot location, a valve assembly connected to the hopper for selectively dispensing the fill material; and a dispenser exit for the hopper located above the divot locations when the hopper is transported adjacent the divot locations. This permits the hopper to be transported to a divot, the valve assembly to be actuated to open the dispenser exit, and dispense fill material into a divot to be repaired.
The apparatus preferably includes a smoother connected to the hopper in such a manner that the smoother contacts the fill mixture after the fill mixture is dispensed. The smoother may take the form of a blade member having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The blade member typically includes a bottom surface, and the leading edge is curved upwardly from the bottom surface. The trailing edge is preferably curved upwardly from the bottom surface. In a preferred embodiment, the smoother is pivotably connected to the hopper. Desirably, stop pins on the smoother are located to restrict pivotable movement of the smoother in the downward direction.
The adaptation of the hopper for transport by an individual may take the form of a wheeled carrier connected to the hopper. The wheeled carrier preferably includes first and second wheels connected on opposite sides of the hopper and a handle connected to the hopper. Typically, the outlet is located at the lower end of the hopper. The hopper may include a removable cover for the inlet.
The dispensing valve may take the form of a gate valve which can be selectively opened and closed. Typically, the gate valve is selectively opened by hand operation. A trigger may be located on the wheeled carrier and a cable connecting the trigger to the gate valve. The dispensing valve typically includes an exit port located immediately adjacent to the divot location.
The invention also provides a method for filling divots that have been created in turf grass, including moving a hopper over the ground immediately adjacent a divot; and dispensing an amount of fill mixture into the divot from the hopper.
The method preferably includes smoothing and compacting the fill mixture located within the divot by movement of the hopper. Dispensing preferably includes selectively controlling a trigger to selectively open a valve to release a variable amount of fill mixture from the hopper.